1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices with hidden compartments and more particularly to a door or welcome mat having a number of raised sections. These raised sections may form a decorative border or letters spelling out the word xe2x80x9cWELCOMExe2x80x9d or similar greeting wherein one the letters is provided with a Velcro closure that is opened to reveal a hidden compartment within which a key to a door may be secured.
Many individuals find that hiding a key to the house can be beneficial to allow relatives, children and other individuals to enter the house without requiring of a parent or adult to go home and let the individual into the home. Although it is a good idea to have a hidden key, it is often difficult to find a location where the key can be safely hidden. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a door mat that included a number of raised portions forming a decorative border or letters spelling out the word xe2x80x9cWELCOMExe2x80x9d or similar greeting wherein one of the letters is provided with a flap that is sealable into a closed position covering an opening into a cavity sized to receive a key for a door lock.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,414 to I. H. Kravitt shows a door mat having a hinged portion to facilitate the wiping of a user""s shoe sides.
The door or shoe mat shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,620 to H. Miller et al. discloses a mat with a combination of flexible and non-flexible projections formed in the mat surface to assist in cleaning one""s shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,660 to J. H. Park reveals a foot scrub mat with a replaceable center pad.
The motor vehicle floor mat shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,540 to B. Bailey discloses a floor mat for a car with a replaceable insert.
The apparatus for hiding a door key of the present invention includes a door mat formed of either a rubber or plastic material or braided material such as hemp. The door mat is rectangularly shaped with raised portions formed on the top surface. Different embodiments are shown with these raised portions forming a decorative border, an esthetically pleasing pattern or a greeting, such as xe2x80x9cWELCOMExe2x80x9d, as is commonly seen. A hidden compartment sized to receive a typical house key is formed in these raised portions that is accessible through a hook and loop type closure. When the hook and loop type closure is closed, the compartment and its contents remain hidden from view.
It is thus a principal object of the invention to provide a door mat having a number of raised letters on the mat one of which is provided with a compartment that is securable with a hook and loop fastener to seal the compartment and keep the key in a hidden position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door mat having a number of raised portions in an esthetically pleasing pattern on the mat one of which is provided with a compartment that is securable with a hook and loop fastener to seal the compartment and keep the key in a hidden position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a door mat having a raised portions forming a decorative border on the mat which is provided with a compartment that is securable with a hook and loop fastener to seal the compartment and keep the key in a hidden position.